This post will remain at the top of the FRCC Home Page while the Covid-19 situation exists and will have links to the latest information (FRCC/BMC/NHS/Government) available and relevant to club members.

The latest advice from the BMC can be found at:

It’s time to put all climbing and hill walking on holdthe BMC intends to hold a virtual AGM:

BMC virtual AGMFRCC Coronavirus (COVID-19) update no.7

18^th May 2020

Closure of Huts

As a Committee we value your health and safety above anything else and therefore it is with regret we have to continue the closure of all FRCC huts, including car parks.

We acknowledge that guidance has changed (in England only) as follows:

• People are now encouraged to take more and even unlimited amounts of outdoor exercise but only with members of the same household or to meet one other person from a different household – following social distancing guidelines.
• People can now drive to other destinations to take part in outdoor exercise with members of their own household.
• People can play sports but only with members of their own household or one other person from a different household

However we are also continuing with this closure in order to respect requests not to travel from home to visit the Lake District for the time being. The organisations requesting this include the Lake District National Park Authority, Friends of the Lake District, and Mountain Rescue. More information can be found on these links:

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/can-i-travel-to-the-lake-district-to-climb-or-walk

https://www.mountain.rescue.org.uk/stay-safe-be-adventure-smart/coronavirus-covid-19     

Any person known to have accessed any hut before restrictions are lifted will be referred to the committee.

We will review the situation at the end of May following the next Government review.

Updated Government Advice

The Government announced on the 10^th May that social distancing restrictions should remain for “at least” another three weeks. They require that you should still stay at home as much as possible. The reasons you may leave home include:

• for work, where you cannot work from home
• going to shops that are permitted to be open – to get things like food and medicine
• to exercise or spend time outdoors
• any medical need, including to donate blood, avoid injury or illness, escape risk of harm, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person

They have updated social distancing measures that we should all be taking to reduce social interaction between people in order to reduce the transmission of coronavirus:

Stay Alert and at all times continue to observe social distancing guidelines when you are outside your home, including ensuring you are 2 metres away from anyone outside your household. As with before, you cannot:

• Visit friends and family in their homes.
• Exercise in an indoor sports court, gym or leisure centre, or go swimming in a public pool.
• Use an outdoor gym or playground.
• Visit a private or ticketed attraction.
• Gather in a group of more than two (excluding members of your own household), except for a few specific exceptions set out in law (for work, funerals, house moves, supporting the vulnerable, in emergencies and to fulfil legal obligations).
• Leave your home – the place you live – to stay at another home for a holiday or other purpose. This includes visiting second homes.

Do not leave home if you or someone you live with has either a high temperature, loss of smell or taste, or a new, continuous cough.  Check the NHS website if you have symptoms:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms-and-what-to-do/

Plan for Meets

Given the social distancing guidance remains in place, the committee has decided to continue the cancellation all forthcoming meets in UK huts to the end of July. This includes the Coniston dinner meet.  We will monitor the situation in 3 weeks and cancel meets on a ‘rolling’ basis as appropriate.

We are very conscious of our social responsibilities, and we have very reluctantly come to the conclusion, that we would not be honouring those responsibilities if we allowed those meets in the immediate future to go ahead and thereby risk contributing to the spread of the virus.

We find ourselves in a unique predicament, and hope that members will understand the rationale behind this difficult decision.

Many thanks to all our members for helping us to control this virus.  If there is a change in government advice we will update you.

Brenda Fullard, Secretary (on behalf of the FRCC Committee).